Clock instantaneous temperature-rate-of-change measurement
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsRobert Dale Thrasher, Jordan Cookman, Duong Hoang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques described herein address these and other issues by utilizing two or more sensors to take temperature measurements from which a temperature-differential or instantaneous temperature rate-of-change, can be determined. In turn, this can be used to make a highly accurate model of the relationship between the temperature, temperature-differential, and clock circuitry frequency, to accurately estimate the frequency rate-of-change for frequency correction/compensation.
Claims27
A system for determining a frequency rate-of-change of clock circuitry, the system comprising:
- an assembly of electrical components on a substrate, the assembly of electrical components comprising:
- the clock circuitry;
- a heat source;
- and
- a plurality of thermal sensors, wherein:
- a first thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors is on the substrate on a proximal side of the clock circuitry, relative to the heat source;
- and
- a second thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors is on the substrate on a distal side of the clock circuitry, relative to the heat source;
- and
- a processing unit communicatively coupled with the first thermal sensor, the second thermal sensor, and the clock circuitry, wherein the processing unit is configured to:
- determine a temperature-differential based on temperature measurements from each of the first thermal sensor and the second thermal sensor;
- and
- determine a frequency rate-of-change of the clock circuitry, based at least in part on the determined temperature-differential.
A method of determining a clock frequency rate-of-change of clock circuitry, the method comprising:
- obtaining a temperature measurement from each of a first thermal sensor and a second thermal sensor, wherein:
- the first thermal sensor is on a substrate on a proximal side of the clock circuitry, relative to a heat source;
- and
- the second thermal sensor is on the substrate on a distal side of the clock circuitry, relative to the heat source;
- determining a temperature-differential based on the temperature measurement from each of the first thermal sensor and the second thermal sensor;
- and
- determining a frequency rate-of-change of the clock circuitry based at least in part on the determined temperature-differential.
A device comprising:
- means for obtaining a temperature measurement from each of a first thermal sensing means and a second thermal sensing means, wherein:
- the first thermal sensing means is on a substrate on a proximal side of clock circuitry, relative to a heat source;
- and
- the second thermal sensing means is on the substrate on a distal side of the clock circuitry, relative to the heat source;
- means for determining a temperature-differential based on the temperature measurement from each of the first thermal sensing means and the second thermal sensing means;
- and
- means for determining a frequency rate-of-change of the clock circuitry based at least in part on the determined temperature-differential.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon that, when executed by one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to:
- obtain a temperature measurement from each of a first thermal sensor and a second thermal sensor, wherein:
- the first thermal sensor is on a substrate on a proximal side of clock circuitry, relative to a heat source;
- and
- the second thermal sensor is on the substrate on a distal side of the clock circuitry, relative to the heat source;
- determine a temperature-differential based on the temperature measurement from each of the first thermal sensor and the second thermal sensor;
- and
- determine a frequency rate-of-change of the clock circuitry based at least in part on the determined temperature-differential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.